Champion Rules

Chapter 110, Section 106: You can always believe in LeBron (Seeking monthly votes!)
From ninth in the Eastern Conference last season to third in the Eastern Conference this season.

LeBron James thought he had accomplished a heroic narrative of a dark horse's rise, but now he realizes he's still just a beast of burden.

The 47-point massacre crushed the 42-point blowout of the 1998 Bulls vs. Jazz, setting a new NBA record for the largest playoff point differential.

Unless someone surpasses him, this shameful number will follow LeBron James throughout his entire career like an ever-present fog along the Ohio River.

When Karl Malone was crushed by 42 points in the Finals, he was at least nearing the end of his career.

But LBJ's career had only just begun, and he simply couldn't imagine what it would feel like to carry this shame for the next decade or so.

For the next decade or so, whenever people mention the Chosen One, the first thing that comes to mind is Lynch's contemptuous look as he crouched down and looked down at James, and the number 47.

Even if the world ends, people will remember this night.

LBJ will relive this infamous execution ceremony, nailed to the pillar of shame, for many years to come.

The next morning, LeBron James woke up in his hotel room with a start.

The morning light pierced through the gaps in the blackout curtains, as if cutting a painful slit in his eyelids. For the first time in his life, this prodigy was so afraid of the light—he knew that today's light meant a deluge of reports about yesterday's match.

He didn't want to see the news about the Cavaliers losing by 47 points, nor did he want to see Lynch squatting on the ground mocking him.

He didn't even dare to turn on the TV, as if a monstrous abyss lurked within the black screen, ready to devour his pride.

He decided to order room service and have breakfast to ease his anxiety.

But that damn hotel waiter, while bringing breakfast, also very "thoughtfully" brought a copy of The New York Times.

LeBron James stared at the newspaper cover, his muscular body trembling slightly.

The New York Times published a photo of James's back, mimicking the poster style of the video game "Hitman 47." The nickname "The King" in the headline was crossed out, and below it was the new nickname given to him by the New York media: Code Name 47.

The number “47” was deliberately highlighted in bold red font.

"Crack!" The porcelain cup shattered into pieces on the table, and dark brown coffee dripped down the edge of the table like a bleeding wound.

"These bastards, damn it!" James roared in fury. He knew these damned media outlets wouldn't let him off the hook.

Now he finally understood how Stephon Marbury—the coward he had once secretly mocked for his psychological fragility—had his soul corroded by the carefully crafted poison of public opinion from the New York media.

New York is fucking hell.

And that's the price of losing to Lynch.

LBJ immediately took a liking to Pat Riley. If that spineless guy hadn't chosen to avoid the game and deliberately dropped to fourth in the East, the Heat would be playing against the Knicks now, and Shaq would be the one being humiliated.

James immediately lost his appetite for breakfast when his phone rang.

Carmelo Anthony called.

"Bro, what a fucking terrible night."

"Our whole team just can't find our rhythm. We're too exhausted. The league's schedule is completely unfair. We play overtime in Washington and then have to play hard in MSG less than 48 hours later? Whoever arranged this schedule should be fired!" James complained.

Anthony can't really comment on this; it's the same all over the league, not just targeting the Cleveland Cavaliers. If anyone's to blame, it's you guys for not dealing with the Wizards quickly enough.

Of course, Anthony still tried to put on a positive note: "But you guys can rest in New York now, no more high-intensity long-haul flights. So cheer up, LeBron, and seize the opportunity to win a game in New York!"

Anthony was trying to motivate his good friend, but LBJ thought of something even more terrifying.

Taunting behavior during a basketball game is insignificant compared to a real loss.

Therefore, he cannot be swept aside.

Even if LeBron James were completely clueless, he could see the gap between the two teams, and he knew that the Cavaliers' chances of winning the series were extremely slim.

But as Anthony said, he has to lead the team to win at least one or two games.

If he is swept aside, he will be utterly disgraced, and the stain on his career will grow as large as the coffee stain slowly spreading on the carpet right now.

"That's right, Melo, I have to win, I must."

LBJ is experiencing the darkest moment of his career, while Carmelo Anthony is making great strides on his path to becoming a legend.

In the afternoon, Carmelo Anthony, who had just finished training, was interviewed in the locker room of the Henry Ford Health Center.

He was in a good mood because the team was currently leading the Miami Heat 2-0.

Pat Riley deliberately dropped to fourth place and chose the Pistons as his opponent, only to end up with a steel plate.

Anthony admitted that Dwyane Wade, who was in the same draft class as him, was very strong, and even the Pistons' solid defense couldn't stop his drives.

But the Heat's biggest problem is that they only have Dwyane Wade.

Shaquille O'Neal is now just an average star; he no longer possesses the dominance he had at the beginning of the century.

The offense of the rest of the Heat was not consistent enough.

They can only stabilize the situation by defending.

The Pistons are not afraid to compete with any team in the league in terms of defense.

At the start of the interview, Anthony was in a good mood, and the presence of more than twenty microphones and recorders in front of him made him unconsciously smile.

Reporters are bombarding him with compliments such as "iron-blooded leader," "new king of Detroit," and "the next Michael."

Until that damn reporter in the dark gray suit with the New York Post badge around his neck squeezed his way to the front from the back row.

"Lynch slaughtered LeBron in Game 1 of the series, setting a new playoff record with a 47-point margin of victory. This seems to be his revenge for the All-Star freeze. Clearly, Lynch's New York gang won't let any opponent get away with it. Melo, watching LeBron get publicly executed, aren't you worried about being next? Was the All-Star freeze your idea or LeBron's?"

“The New York mob?” Anthony sneered, his gaze sweeping over the reporter’s name tag. “Lynch is Chinese, grew up in Europe, and knows nothing about real gangsters. In fact, I’m fed up with their pretend play.”

The reporter practically poked the recording pen into Anthony's lips: "So you're avoiding the question? You're scared?"

Anthony was instantly enraged. This damn New York reporter was trampling on his dignity in front of everyone, like a karaoke hostess refusing to have physical contact with you in front of everyone.

“Go back and tell Lynch that by the time I get to the Hudson River, his house game will be over. No, he might not even need me; a LeBron back in form will be enough to terrify New York!” He decided to support his brother at all times.

Half an hour later, LeBron James, still drenched in sweat after training, learned of Anthony's words from a reporter.

He recalled Anthony's unexpected remark during an All-Star Weekend interview: "If he meets me and LeBron in the playoffs, he'll come home empty-handed like he did this weekend."

James's mouth twitched.

Dude, can you fucking stop talking?!
-
In Game 2 of the series, the Cavaliers, having rested, showed signs of improvement, with their outside shooters regaining their accuracy and their defense also significantly strengthening.

Grant Hill came off the bench and scored 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, allowing the Knicks to still win by 13 points.

LeBron James only scored 16 points in Game 2, and Lynch's help defense made it difficult for him to get going.

林奇则继续轰下23+11+7的全能数据，率队大比分2比0领先。

When Nike's heavily promoted spokespeople are powerless against Reebok's spokespeople, Nike's foundation is shaken.

Just like when Michael Jordan beat Drexler to tears in 1992, who cared about Drexler's AVIA sneakers?

Nike's expectation for Kobe and LeBron James is that they can become the next Jordan, or even surpass Jordan.

But now, LBJ's actual goal has become catching up with Lynch, which he is now struggling to achieve.

This is simply an irony of Nike's marketing strategy.

The Cavaliers' second defeat in Game 2 has caused them to lose confidence.

Game 3 brought even worse news – Larry Hughes had to miss the game due to the unexpected death of his brother, which was undoubtedly a double blow for the Cavaliers.

But Nike's PR team saw it as a golden opportunity, believing that LBJ had found a lifeline.

Besides the argument that "LeBron is far inferior to Lynch," they found another reason why the Cavaliers couldn't beat the Knicks.

The Cavaliers did indeed lose Game 3, this time by 17 points—the Cleveland Cavaliers haven't even been able to close a single-digit deficit in any game.

But in his post-game interview, LeBron James didn't mention the game at all, instead playing the good guy.

"I feel sorry for Larry, you know, it's a sad thing. We're always with Larry. Losing him is undoubtedly difficult; he was one of the most important players on the team. We can only learn to adapt."

Aside from his physique and footwork, LeBron's talent is almost entirely focused on emotional intelligence.

This time, however, Nike's usual tactics didn't work.

When they tried to use Larry Hughes' family tragedy as a fig leaf, the New York media and Reebok Media tore apart this public opinion rescue with a microscopic examination.

"Yes, although the absence of the Cavaliers' second-in-command did weaken the team, it cannot mask the harsh reality that LeBron James was completely outclassed by Lynch in key statistics such as scoring, rebounding, and assists."

Aside from his 6-3 'breakthrough' in turnovers, the young emperor couldn't even find a place of dignity to rest in the statistics.

I told Cleveland long ago that everything they expected was just unrealistic fantasy.

Stephen A. Smith made this assessment without reservation on an ESPN program.

At this point, whether Larry Hughes is absent or not is no longer important.

Nike's enemy this time is not so easy to deal with. With the backing of the resurgent Reebok and the New York market, Lynch's media power is no less than that of LBJ.

LeBron James has been driven to the brink of defeat. The noose around his throat has tightened, and his dignity is about to be utterly shattered. Yet, he is powerless to change anything, like a lamb to the slaughter.

Before Game 4 began, the NBA announced a big news: Steve Nash won the regular season MVP for the second consecutive year.

If Nash's 05 MVP award was well-deserved, then his 06 MVP award was quite controversial.

As MVP, Nash's main asset this season was neither statistics nor team record, but rather the media narrative that "despite Stoudemire's season-ending injury and Joe Johnson's departure, he could still lead a bunch of role players to produce the second-best offense in the league."

Carmelo Anthony's good mood came to an abrupt end. He had always believed that he would be the MVP for leading the Pistons to 66 wins, and the Pistons' regular season record this season was unparalleled.

Even the great Tim Duncan only led his team to 63 wins.

Anthony also bluntly told reporters, "I congratulate Steve, but I still feel like he stole my MVP award."

One day after the MVP results were announced, Lynch led his team to a 4-0 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

As 20,000 fans at Quicken Loans Arena expected their savior to burn his last drop of blood, LeBron James, like a soulless puppet, delivered an elegant surrender with a stellar stat line of 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Throughout the game, he neither displayed the ferocity to force his way into the paint against double teams, nor made any desperate attempts at long-range three-pointers, nor did he offer any tough defense that required him to give his all.

He just runs the plays, passes the ball, racks up impressive stats without making a fuss, and then watches the team get eliminated.

For a single second in those 48 minutes, he didn't give off the feeling of "I've had enough, I'm going to lead the team out of this mess."

His biggest problem isn't a lack of skill, but rather a lack of fighting spirit when things are going against him; he doesn't even resort to rude fouls to express his anger.

However, Daniel Gilbert still has to rely on him.

This summer, he will offer LeBron's team an early contract extension—a maximum salary, of course. Even though LBJ's performance so far has fallen far short of expectations, the Cavaliers must keep this number 23 with a maximum salary.

He believes that number 23 will agree without hesitation, after all, this contract is the only reassurance he can get this summer.

In fact, Daniel Gilbert is not worried about any future contract extensions for LBJ.

For a prominent superstar, what could be a more perfect story than leading his hometown to success?
People who run away from difficulties will never become superstars.
-
The league released MVP voting details, and the data shows that even if Steve Nash didn't win the MVP trophy, it wouldn't belong to Melo, because Lynch was second in the MVP voting. It seems the young Detroit foreman was overconfident. —The New York Times

Oh, LeBron really scares me. I'm afraid he'll burst into tears on the spot. — Lynch responded with a laugh to Anthony's earlier comment that "a LeBron who has regained his form is enough to terrify New York."

Steve stole my MVP. Some people should really look at the voting data before they start bragging. No MVP-caliber player has ever played as badly offensively in a series as Melo did. And I will prove that I deserved that damn trophy a long time ago! — Lynch on this year's MVP award.

Yes, I will sign a contract extension this summer. I'm happy to stay in Cleveland. Maybe we failed this year, but stay confident and be ready to win big in the future. — LeBron James after the game regarding his contract extension plans.

It's not Mike's fault. His strategy in Game 1 of the series might have had some problems, but it's not entirely his fault. The loss wasn't just my responsibility, nor was it just his. Any rumors about him being fired are baseless, and I would never pressure the team to fire him and make him bear the sole responsibility for the sweep. You can always trust me. — LeBron James on Coach Mike Brown.

Mike Brown was officially fired by the Cleveland Cavaliers. —The Cleveland Plain Dealer, the following day.

(Thanks to Lin Yu and other big shots for their donations)
(End of this chapter)